PANAJI
Mindful that the new Motor Vehicle (MV) Act, which has provisions of stiff penalties for violations, could severely impact its performance at the upcoming assembly elections expected to take place in February 2022, the State government has decided to postpone the implementation of the new MV Act from April next year.
Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho on Monday said the new MV Act would be implemented from April 2022.
“After an informal discussion with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the transport department has prepared a note to postpone the implementation of the new MV act and the file has been sent to the chief minister’s office for final approval,” said Godinho.
Godinho, however, stated that the CM has not yet taken a decision in the matter.
The implementation of the new MV Act has missed several deadlines and has been delayed ever since the transport minister had first announced that the new MV Act would be enforced in January 2021.
However, the State government later decided to postpone its implementation for May 1, which was delayed yet again on account of the pandemic.
The implementation of the new MV Act, which provides stiff penalties, had made many uncomfortable within the BJP itself.
In March, the state BJP had demanded the postponement the implementation of the new MV act as it was aware that it would spark off anger among people and could affect its performance in the assembly elections.
BJP State President Sadanand Shet Tanavade has publicly opposed the implementation of the new MV Act at the time, prompting Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to delay the implementation of the law.
The union ministry has enforced the new MV Act with stiff penalties in a bid to bring about greater traffic discipline and to reduce vehicle accidents.
The State government has indicated its reluctance in implementing the new MV Act and it is not alone in this hesitancy, as only a few states, including Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Karnataka and Assam, have implemented the new MV Act so far.
